As a resident of Roseville, East Lindfield and Killara for the last 35 years I understand Ku-ring-gai and the Roseville Ward.

If you have any issues with council-related matters, feel free to reach out to us.

And for news on what’s happening at council follow me on Facebook or Instagram or see the articles below.

News

  • April’s Bush Tele: KYDS & EVs
    by Sam
    Special thanks to The Bush Tele for promoting the work of KYDS Youth Development Service. KYDS is a unique mental health service for our young people and its continued success depends on your support. To make a tax-deductible donation please visit https://bit.ly/kyds-kindful-buy-a-counselling-session And to read the April edition of The Bush Tele (including my short…
  • Food Organics in Green Bin (coming in the distant future)
    by Sam
    At the moment many Ku-ring-gai households are just chucking their food scraps in the red bin and believe it or not, that’s actually a good thing. Red bin waste is sent to Woodlawn where this mix of organic and non-organic material is used to generate electricity and re-habilitate an old mining site. And back in…
  • Lindfield Village Hub Confidentiality and Communication
    by Sam
    Earlier this week the councillors were given an update on the Village Hub and I am satisfied with recent progress. Having said that I want to talk about confidentiality and communication as they both affect the way that the public perceives the project. At the moment much of the project remains confidential because it is…
  • Net Zero Champions
    by Sam
    Ku-ring-gai Council is searching for residents to become Net Zero Champions, people who are willing to promote good practice in the community. In a recent webinar it was mentioned that: Perhaps the most effective way for each of us to make an impact is to ensure that our superannuation is invested in ethical options. In…
  • Tree Canopy
    by Sam
    There’s been a lot of talk this month about the role of trees and the value that they provide to our residents. Trees provide us with fresh air, shelter from the sun, and a home for our wildlife. During major storms, trees also play a role in mitigating the impacts of flooding as they reduce…
  • Thoughts on Racism, Conflict and War
    by Sam
    In the coming months there will be further talk about economic sanctions, boycotts, lethal aid, armed conflict, and war. And I can’t help but notice that in both our printed and social media there appears to be people out there who are (consciously or subconsciously) promoting a universal hatred of anything and anyone Russian. While…
  • Local Government NSW Special Conference
    by Sam
    This week we had councillors across NSW meet to exchange ideas, discuss policy, and agree on State and Federal advocacy matters. Key themes were financial sustainability, climate change and resilience, housing stress, domestic violence, reconciliation, and the impact of recent economic developments to the delivery of council services. I was encouraged to see eight Ku-ring-gai…
  • Summary of February Council Meeting
    by Sam
    Key decisions included: Roseville Chase Bowling Site – Council voted to ask the Department of Planning to undertake the final steps of rezoning the entirety of this public land to Low Density Residential (with the next obvious step to sell the entire site). The vote was close, 5 vs 5 plus the mayor’s casting vote…
  • Help us find a new home
    by Sam
    Larry and Leo are both domestic and extremely affectionate cats that have been looking for a new home since December. I visited the Ku-ring-gai Pound today where Kristy, our Veterinary Nurse, showed me around and shared about Ku-ring-gai’s process of rehoming dogs and cats. Council drops off lost animals and do their best to contact…
  • New Commuter Parking
    by Sam
    I’m working in the city today so tried out the 105 commuter parking spots at the new Lindfield Village Green. Arrived at 8am and only three parking spots were in use, I think this is in part due to Covid and also the fact that not many are presently aware of this option. It was…
  • What do YOU think council’s priorities should be these next 10+ years?
    by Sam
    The Community Strategic Plan sets our priorities for the council term and covers traffic, footpaths, playgrounds, etc. but there may be gaps which you believe deserve greater attention. Climate change adaptation? Better community consultation? Affordable Housing? These are themes that other councils emphasise but they don’t get as much (direct) coverage at Ku-ring-gai. There’s an…
  • Composting Trial
    by Sam
    Ku-ring-gai Council is looking for up to 20 apartment buildings to take part in a composting trial. If you are interested, visit the link below. https://www.krg.nsw.gov.au/Council/News-and-media/Latest-news/Unit-dwellers-invited-to-take-part-in-food-waste-composting-trial
  • Checking out The Canopy
    by Sam
    As councillors we can learn a lot from what other councils do well. This evening we visited The Canopy at Lane Cove Council and it seems to have it all. 500 parking spaces Green space with performance area / screen (currently playing Nadal vs Medvedev) Children’s playground, sandpit, and shade Street Dining Two major supermarkets…
  • How Reliable are your RATs?
    by Sam
    With the increased availability of RATs and the return to school, I found this ABC article helpful in explaining false negatives (sensitivity) and false positives (specificity). The TGA also recently published a list that suggests that some RATs are not as good at picking up Delta and/or Omicron than others. It leads to confusing situations…
  • Citizenship Ceremony and Awards
    by Sam
    It was great to see 135 residents from 27 countries become Australian Citizens today. This is a great nation to be part of. Council also presented Citizen of the year awards to five of our residents / groups. Easy Care Gardening was recognised for their outstanding contribution to the community bay assisting housebound, elderly and…
  • Holiday Photos & EV Infrastructure
    by Sam
    Sharing some photos from our recent break in Country NSW (and ACT). It was good to have some time off with family; as a councillor it’s very rare to be able to focus 100% on them. Also went to check out some of the regional EV chargers. As a general trend the Tesla ones are…
  • Mayoral Election
    by Sam
    Congratulations to Councillor Jeff Pettett and Councillor Barbara Ward for being elected as the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Ku-ring-gai respectively. I’ve had the privilege of knowing and working with both over the last four years and I know that they will do their best to represent the interests of the residents of Ku-ring-gai.
  • Back from Holidays
    by Sam
    I’m back in Sydney after a holiday through regional NSW. Was surprised to see some of our supermarket shelves so bare, and to see the fairy lights at the soon-to-open Lindfield Village Green. The councillors will be sworn in tomorrow night, and that’s when we will officially commence our jobs. There’s a list of things…
  • Online Christmas Services at Roseville
    by Sam
    It’s a shame that we have Delta and Omicron circulating but you can still safely join us at church online this Christmas. For more information visit https://www.stbarneys.org.au
  • Addressing Delays in Processing Development Applications
    by Sam
    It’s not a surprise to some that Ku-ring-gai is the slowest council in Northern Sydney when it comes to processing Development Applications, and as a councillor I get contacted a few times a year from residents who are disatisfied with the process. The usual story is either that they had submitted their DA a few…
  • Elected Council Confirmed
    by Sam
    Elected Council was confirmed just moments ago. Comenarra Ward – Jeff Pettett, Greg Taylor Gordon Ward – Barbara Ward, Simon Lennon Roseville Ward – Sam Ngai, Alec Taylor St Ives Ward – Martin Smith, Christine Kay Wahroonga Ward – Kim Wheatley, Cedric Spencer Positions such as Mayor, committee memberships, etc will be determined on 11th…
  • Ku-ring-gai’s Community Strategic Plan
    by Sam
    At the start of each term, councils across NSW consult with the community to create a 10+ year ‘Community Strategic Plan’ (CSP) which frames and guides all decisions made at council. I’ve had a look through Ku-ring-gai’s two most recent CSP’s and while they are above average compared to our peers in Northern Sydney, there’s…
  • Reflections on Transparency
    by Sam
    It’s been a month since the HKPost Town Hall event which I personally found to be the most enjoyable night of the month-long campaign. The candidates had a good time sharing their views on policy without the usual nastiness of debate from the previous council term. Interestingly, although just over a third of the lead…
  • Council Rate Increases from July 2022 – June 2023
    by Sam
    Here’s some good news or bad news, depending on how you want to see things. The rates that you pay are set by IPART (the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal) and in the last decade the increases have on average been at 2.46%, a tad above inflation. For the 2022-23 period, IPART has decided (with…
  • Festive Season at St Ives
    by Sam
    We visited St Ives Shopping Village to have a quick lunch, charge up the car for free (25% in 71 minutes), and visit the seasonal attractions. There is the Community Tree of Joy run by St Ives Rotary where we are encouraged to pick up a card from the tree, purchase a gift for the…
  • Thank You
    by Sam
    I’d like to thank the residents of Roseville Ward for asking me to serve them as a councillor for a second term. The election result was quite a surprise and it goes to show that if incumbent councillors do their job of listening to and representing their residents, they will be recognised for it. It…
  • Ku-ring-gai’s Housing Legacy (and the mess that next term’s Councillors will inherit)
    by Sam
    Some of us have a Will, a legal document that provides instructions on what to do with our estate once we are gone. And for those of us who have a Will, especially a complex one, we take extra care to make sure that every word is crafted such that there can only be one…
  • Chanukah on the Green
    by Sam
    Despite yesterday’s rain forecast we had a pleasant day and the annual Chanukah on the Green organised by @ChabadNS went ahead. Chanukah is an eight day religious festival where the Jewish people celebrate their victory over the armies of Antiochus Epiphanes IV during 2nd Century BC. (Some people believe that this was foretold in the…
  • Outcome of November Council Meeting
    by Sam
    Lindfield Netball Club and Ku-Ring-Gai Netball Association. In recent months I’ve been working with some of your executive to ensure that the Tryon Road courts could be set aside for Training in 2022 however last month council staff argued that for ‘Equity’ reasons Tennis Permanent Hirers should have first dibs on court hire in November,…
  • Lunch at Elementary Cafe
    by Sam
    We had delicious lunch at Elementary Cafe Lindfield today and loved the floral arrangements. It was also encouraging to see council staff hard at work at the council carpark addressing some tree branch issues that we had reported just yesterday afternoon.
  • Roseville Station Lifts
    by Sam
    At the last election, many residents asked for lifts at Roseville Station and I said that while it was a State Government matter, I would advocate on their behalf for both lifts AND increased frequency of train services at Roseville and Killara. The Roseville Station lifts opened earlier this month and our residents enjoy the…
  • Designing a Mountain Bike Track in Lindfield
    by Sam
    With COVID Lockdowns and the Tokyo Olympics, kids have shown renewed interest in mountain biking and building their own ramps, berms, jumps and pump tracks. Unfortunately the activity is often unauthorised and sometimes conducted in environmentally sensitive or dangerous areas so council has historically gone in and put things to a halt, which is very…
  • Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Policy
    by Sam
    Did you know that our neighbouring councils all have public EV charging infrastructure plans in place? Willoughby partnered with ChargeFox and introduced theirs in 2015. Ryde partnered with Exploren and introduced infrastructure this year. Hornsby and Northern Beaches have also recently introduced plans. But at Ku-ring-gai we have yet to adopt a plan, and that…
  • Progress on the Lindfield Village Green
    by Sam
    I was encouraged to see everyone hard at work to deliver this new park for our local residents. There have been some delays relating to COVID and also with our changes in the design (to support extra parking spaces and an extra lift) but it is what it is and our residents can look forward…
  • Topping Plus
    by Sam
    Enjoying a quiet night at Topping Plus Pizza Lindfield, our favourite pizza shop in Sydney. For those who want a job, they are also hiring drivers.
  • Maintenance of Sporting Facilities
    by Sam
    I recently met with Ed Ferguson from Northern Suburbs Football Association to discuss the recreational needs of our residents as well as the role that Council plays in providing for these needs. A challenge faced by all sporting codes is that playing surfaces wear out from regular use and extreme weather, and they do not…
  • Life after Bowling for Bowling Green Sites
    by Sam
    I recently asked some friends and councillors in Willoughby about what they did with their bowling greens. Is selling off such land something that all councils do, or is Ku-ring-gai more of an exception Artarmon Bowling was acquired by Willoughby Council in 2016 with a condition of purchase that it remains a community facility. There…
  • Life as a First Term Councillor
    by Sam
    This month I shared about Life as a First Term Councillor in the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Post. Text below. I’m thankful to the residents of Roseville and Lindfield for electing me in 2017 and I encourage newcomers to run for council. While those who get elected will hit the ground running, they will rarely possess all…
  • Lindfield Deserves a Better Library
    by Sam
    Lindfield has a tiny 300sqm library. Now 300sqm is better than nothing at all but the reality is that many residents don’t even know that it exists and for those that do, many prefer to go to Chatswood Library or Gordon Library to get a range of books, find some space away from a crowded…
  • Lessons from an Electric Vehicle Early Adopter
    by Sam
    With the NSW Government EV incentives we thought we’d give it a go. There have been pain points for early adoption, but our kids love the car. Five things that we’ve learnt so far. The car is amazing – The base model Tesla is quiet with responsive acceleration and zero tailpipe emissions. Charging the car…
  • Comments re: Candidate Independence
    by Sam
    I am writing on this topic as there have been unhelpful and inaccurate rumours in other parts of social media, comments which I am concerned may have the effect of misinforming residents. In this election there are several candidates who are members of the Liberal Party who are running as Independents. What does this mean?…
  • Donating Blood Saves Lives
    by Sam
    I took a break today to donate blood and I encourage everyone to consider doing the same. Each blood donation saves up to three lives and our nearest clinic is conveniently located in Chatswood next to the railway station. For more information visit https://www.lifeblood.com.au/blood
  • Introducing Our Team
    by Sam
    It’s a pleasure to announce our team for the 4 December Ku-ring-gai Council Roseville Ward election. We are a diverse group of three well qualified candidates and each of us are long-term residents who genuinely care about the impact that councillors have on our community and way of life. We will be presenting to you…
  • Lindfield Station Footpaths
    by Sam
    One of our council’s strengths is responsiveness to requests that affect residents near our train stations. Last week I received feedback that on Lindfield Avenue South of the train station there was significant overgrowth making it difficult for pedestrians to use the footpath. Sometimes it was so bad that they would have to do the…
  • Pedestrian Safety in Killara
    by Sam
    Right now there are no pedestrian crossings across Lindfield and Werona Avenue between Lindfield and Killara Station, and this makes it difficult for less able-bodied people or parents pushing prams to get across the road. Fortunately our Federal Government under the safety-related Black Spot program has funded the conversion of these lights at Werona x…
  • Remembrance Day
    by Sam
    This morning at 11am we will pause to reflect on the sacrifices that our war veterans and other support teams have made to protect the freedoms of future generations. There is a memorial service at the Roseville Club which will be attended by members of the community. Due to COVID restrictions and rain, the numbers…
  • Lindfield Pedestrian Bridge
    by Sam
    While my kids love our fantastic library at Gordon, what they love even more is the pedestrian bridge. It’s a safe way to cross the six lane highway while watching the cars, buses and cyclists pass by. Back in 2018 we voted that a pedestrian bridge is highly desirable at Lindfield and subsequently the 2020…
  • Wheelchair Accessibility near Roseville Station
    by Sam
    11 days ago a resident contacted me after an incident where her son’s wheelchair got stuck on Pacific Highway due to a lip in the ramp. They were in a bit of a panic because of the six lanes of traffic but fortunately another resident was nearby to help. Given that it is right in…
  • Scooter Adventures
    by Sam
    Earlier in the week I had to meet local residents regarding a traffic issue. Figured that I would go out for a scoot as it’s better for my health and for the planet . What I learnt was that some of our footpaths are great for walking but not for scooting. Some of our roads…
  • Local Government NSW Awards
    by Sam
    Today I joined Cr Kelly, Cr Kay, and 23 other councillors across NSW in accepting our certificates for completing the UTS Executive Certificate for Elected Members. The four day course was fantastic and I’d encourage all incoming councillors to complete it after settling 18-24 months into the role. Through this course I met councillors from…
  • Congratulations Willoughby!
    by Sam
    I congratulate Willoughby Council for joining the UN’s Cities Race to Zero which involves the recognition of a climate emergency and taking steps to reach net zero by the 2040’s or sooner. Ku-ring-gai too was to debate and consider joining this initiative in the October Ordinary Meeting of Council but unfortunately we did not have…
  • The option for Online Council Meetings to become permanent
    by Sam
    This is exciting news for the Local Government sector, especially regional and rural councils where councillors may live hours away from their council chambers. What’s especially great is the acknowledgement that “Councils will now have the option to allow councillors to be present for official meetings by audio-visual link if they can’t attend in person…
  • Halloween Decorations
    by Sam
    Which house would you say has the most impressive Halloween decorations this year? I’d say Archbold Road but I haven’t been everywhere this week. My favourite is the spoonville at Tryon Road though.
  • Roseville Station Footpath Success
    by Sam
    You are looking at the happiest ward councillor in Roseville. Back in August 2017 I received a phone call from a lady complaining about the footpath immediately outside Roseville Station. It was a high traffic area but paved with really crappy bitumen. Uneven, rocky, large pools of water in the rain, and very unsafe. She…
  • What’s happening at Ku-ring-gai?
    by Sam
    Residents and journalists have asked me to comment on what’s happening at Ku-ring-gai. At this stage I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to say much other than the following. 1) The same five councillors have not attended council meetings in October, on eight separate occasions. Because of the lack of quorum (six councillors required…
  • Tonight’s Vote: Basketball and Netball Facilities
    by Sam
    I recently visited The Glade at Wahroonga to check out its fantastic outdoor basketball facilities. All five hoops were in use with various groups walking from afar to catch up with their friends and stay physically and mentally fit. Unfortunately we don’t have anything like this in the Roseville, Lindfield and Killara area. The closest…
  • Green Hydrogen vs Blue Hydrogen
    by Sam
    Today the NSW Government announced plans to invest up to $3b in the Green Hydrogen Industry. So what is Green Hydrogen and why is it important? We currently rely on fossil fuels such as petrol and gas to power our transportation, domestic and industrial needs. Burning fossil fuels increases our carbon emissions as well as…
  • Lessons from Lockdown
    by Sam
    While it’s unfortunate that we’ve had to protect our loved ones through the lockdown process, we’ve also been forced to innovate and find better ways of doing things. One such benefit is the increased adoption of platforms such as Zoom, Teams and FaceTime which allow us to work remotely while reducing our carbon footprint. This…
  • Lindfield Village Hub Update (Good News)
    by Sam
    I know the incredible frustration that members of the public feel when the council papers talk about the Lindfield Village Hub but the entire thing is marked as confidential. In fact sometimes in the past when I do not genuinely believe that the entire paper should be confidential, I have protest voted against the call…
  • Big Agenda for the October Council Meetings
    by Sam
    For the Ordinary Meeting of Council (19/10) we are voting on 33 items. I haven’t had the chance to read through the details yet but for me the five highlights are: C1/GB22 – Lindfield Village Hub; a confidential item proposing a way forward with negotiations for construction as well as the consideration of a planning…
  • The Missing Footpath and the Temporary Solution
    by Sam
    For over forty years the residents of Roseville Chase have been asking for a footpath to be installed at Babbage Road and it’s not difficult to understand why. On one side we have a cliff face and on the other side we have a narrow ledge. This road is the only way in and out…
  • High Ropes
    by Sam
    Earlier in the week we were at the park at St Ives watching the tree workers and excavators build the future High Ropes installation. Once complete, it will be a great opportunity for visitors to develop their skills and stay healthy.
  • NSW Roadmap to Freedom
    by Sam
    A summary of the progressive opening and key dates (by AFR).
  • Greengate Park Killara
    by Sam
    Undoubtedly one of the best parks in Ku-ring-gai for children under 2, we revisited this place recently (observing social distancing) and saw it with new eyes. The lawn and path is fantastic for bikes and scooters. The upper terrace is great for social groups and badminton. And the shelter above the picnic area even provided…
  • Outcome of Mayoral / Deputy Mayoral Election
    by Sam
    I’d like to thank Councillors Cedric Spencer, Christine Kay, Peter Kelly and Jeff Pettett for giving me a turn at being Deputy Mayor (Sep-Dec 2021). In the same meeting, Councillor Spencer was also elected as Mayor. Both positions were randomly drawn 50/50 out of a box. It will be an extremely short mayoral / deputy…
  • Upgrade of Norman Griffiths Sportsground
    by Sam
    Last night the councillors voted unanimously to proceed with the design and upgrade of the Norman Griffiths Oval in West Pymble. This project has been a long time coming with the NSW Government, West Pymble FC , Northern Suburbs Football Association and a range of other sporting funds all having made financial contributions in the…
  • Thanks Everyone for Playing your Part
    by Sam
    10 weeks ago our first dose vaccination rate was less than 50% and I was one of the first under 40’s to opt for AstraZeneca. Today and we are over 90% first dose, nearly 70% second. Looking forward to greater freedoms.
  • Overflowing Bins in Lockdown
    by Sam
    During this lockdown residents have discovered some of our hidden gems such as Echo Point Park, Roseville Beach and Swain Gardens. With increased use also comes increased demand for bins. I’ve asked council staff whether we can increase the collection frequency and/or increase the number of bins available for use. So far they have agreed…
  • Two Creeks Track
    by Sam
    We enjoyed the sights and sounds of this bushwalk over the weekend. Stretching through the suburbs of Roseville Chase, East Lindfield and Lindfield, this is a great way to get exercise and experience nature within our LGA. It’s also amazing to see how many people were on the track; we came across a few dozen…
  • Community and Stakeholder Engagement
    by Sam
    At council it’s important that we make decisions that align with the needs of all of our residents. This morning I had the pleasure of joining councillors and staff across NSW to discuss how we can improve our community & stakeholder engagement. Our group shared insights which I hope to apply to future initiatives.
  • Another Win: Greater Transparency on Unauthorised Works
    by Sam
    At Ku-ring-gai we officially have hundreds of developments each year. Most of these developments, whether they be a driveway or fencing upgrade, a building extension, or a knockdown and rebuild, are supported by the following processes. Development Application (including DA’s, MOD’s and Reviews) Council Certified Application (including Complying Development Certificates, Construction Certificates and Occupation Certificates)…
  • Quiet Morning at Roseville Beach
    by Sam
  • Weekly Green Bin Collections
    by Sam
    Starting tomorrow, green bins will be collected weekly (previously fortnightly). Red bins will remain weekly and the recycling bins will remain fortnightly.
  • Outcome of August 2021 Council Meeting
    by Sam
    St Ives Cultural annd Environmental Education Centre – Council committed to spending $4.3m to design and construct the education centre. I know some residents have criticized this decision as they’d rather see $4.3m spent to support local businesses, however it’s important to point out that this money comes from restricted funds ($1.2m environmental levy, $3.0m…
  • All Playgrounds to Reopen from Saturday 21st August
    by Sam
    Yesterday the State Government provided new guidance urging councils to keep playgrounds open where possible, and today our council staff made the decision that all playgrounds will reopen from this Saturday. Please note that under public health orders, no more than 2 people should gather (excluding members of the same household) and that we should…
  • Lindfield Village Hub Planning Proposal [Part Two]
    by Sam
    This week we received over 80 submissions to the public exhibition and while I can say that I agreed with what residents have been saying about the priorities and potential delivery path of the Lindfield Village Hub project as a whole, I’d also say that none of the submissions talked about the Planning Proposal itself…
  • Lindfield Village Hub Planning Proposal
    by Sam
    Several residents have asked about the Lindfield Village Hub Planning Proposal which is currently on public exhibition until 27 August 2021. At 1,288 pages, residents have said that the material was difficult to understand and did not know whether the Planning Proposal should be a cause for concern. The short answer to this is that…
  • Support our Local Businesses
    by Sam
    It’s good to support local. On this occasion we ordered online at Money King Thai (Lindfield) and picked up 30 mins later. Very quiet, very safe, and consistently delicious food.
  • Nine Playgrounds Reopening on Friday (as a trial)
    by Sam
    Last month Ku-ring-gai Council was one of only two councils in the Sydney metro area to close its playgrounds despite the absence of a public health order to do so. The decision by staff to do this was a conservative one made genuinely in the interest of our residents’ physical health, and in the context…
  • Outcome of July 2021 Council Meeting
    by Sam
    Samuel King Oval – Council to explore re-allocating $500,00 of Sport Australia grant funding towards toilet, kitchen, changing room and store room upgrades at Samuel King Oval, North Turramurra. Women’s Advisory Committee – The concept is to give women the opportunity to participate in planning and improving council services, facilities, programs and projects. Sale of…
  • Elections Postponed
    by Sam
    Due to the spread of the COVID-19 Delta strain, the council elections have been deferred to Saturday 4 December. For more information see the links below. https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/MMR-Local-Government-elections-postponed-25072021.pdf https://gazette.legislation.nsw.gov.au/so/download.w3p?id=Gazette_2021_2021-347.pdf
  • ⚠️ Reporting (and Fixing) Problems with Council Facilities – Another Happy Resident ?
    by Sam
    You can report issues through to council directly (kmc@kmc.nsw.gov.au / 9424 000) or reach out to one of your councillors. When residents contact me, my usual approach is to go out to meet the resident, see the issue for myself, and discuss the likely options and outcomes. However during a lockdown it’s been more difficult…
  • ? First AstraZeneca Jab ???
    by Sam
    Enjoying a lollipop after my first jab. Like many other under 40’s, I’ve had to consider whether to follow ATAGI advice and wait for Pfizer or to just get AstraZeneca now. I’ve had conversations about the risks vs benefits and decided that in my particular case, it’s best to get vaccinated given that we are…
  • ? Journey to Net Zero ?
    by Sam
    I support Ku-ring-gai’s aim for Net Zero by 2040 and 100% renewable by 2030 (aiming for 2025) but why not aim for sooner? For electricity, it helps to look at real data to understand the challenges we need to overcome to get there. This chart depicts yesterday’s power generation and demand for the National Electricity…
  • Our Last Chance to Save Bates Park ??????
    by Sam
    This month we are seeking to reverse a decision made by the previous term councillors to sell Bates Park (97 Babbage Road, Roseville Chase). Bates Park is a small parcel of land rich in native flora and abundant with native wildlife including Echidnae, Wallabies, endangered Bandicoots, the Powerful Owl, and a range of other native…
  • COVID-19 Closure of Council Services & Queries Regarding Closed Playgrounds
    by Sam
    Council has closed the library, pool, and a range of other indoor community facilities in line with public health orders. Our sports ovals and customer call center remain open. However at this stage Ku-ring-gai is the only council in the Sydney Metro region to have actively closed off our playgrounds. Some of our residents have…
  • Public Facility Upgrades
    by Sam
    ? Have you ever tried to use a public toilet and thought ‘eww this place is gross’? Each year Council upgrades some of its public facilities. Pictured below is an upgrade that happened earlier during the pandemic, where the prison-style toilets at Queen Elizabeth II Reserve were upgraded to something cleaner, brighter, with a functional…
  • COVID Testing and Lockdown
    by Sam
    To all those who are about to enter lockdown, I wish you well. Many school holiday plans cast aside and much restlessness at home. If you have any symptoms, please get tested as we need the data to protect the public. I had to get a test earlier this afternoon at Killara, the queue went…
  • Road Safety on Lady Game Drive
    by Sam
    I met up with residents a few months ago to discuss safety issues on Lady Game Drive. To improve visibility of vehicles at the roundabout, the feral hedge was trimmed back. To make the entry to the roundabout a bit safer for pedestrians, speed cushions were added to slow the traffic (a request for a…
  • MBA Exchange at Oxford
    by Sam
    I believe it’s important for councillors to invest in professional development so that they can better serve the community. These last two years I’ve been completing an MBA at my own expense and was recently selected to go on MBA Exchange at Oxford. It’s a shame that international borders are closed because I miss out…
  • Outcome of June 2021 Council Meeting
    by Sam
    Public Domain Plan (including Havilah Underpass) – Councillors asked for a site inspection to better understand the issues. Matter deferred to July or August. Killara Bowling Club and Lawn Tennis Club – Council to work towards heritage listing the site. Mona Vale Road – Council to ask the State Government what can be done to…
  • Havilah Underpass FAQ
    by Sam
    Many residents have contacted councillors in the past week with objections to council staff’s proposed plans to remove the westbound lane of the Havilah Underpass and replace it with a cycleway. I will answer the most frequently asked questions below. If the westbound lane is removed, how will we get to Coles, to Holy Family,…
  • Asset Sales, Development, and Good / Bad Reasons for Heritage Listing [Part 1 of 2]
    by Sam
    At this Tuesday’s council meeting we will be voting on whether or not the Killara Bowling Club and Killara Lawn Tennis Club Sites should be established as a proposed heritage item (GB13). What does this mean? When a property is heritage listed, it’s usually a limited or unique asset which we aim to safeguard so…
  • I want to hear your views on Asset Sales and Wildlife
    by Sam
    Here’s a video of a wallaby and her joey at Bates Park, 97 Babbage Road Roseville Chase. It’s quite sweet and there are more videos like this on the Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/kuringgaiparks/posts/780552675940365 Four years ago and just three months before the council elections (i.e. before my time as councillor), council voted unanimously to divest (i.e.…
  • Changes to Lindfield Traffic
    by Sam
    Thank you everyone for your submissions to the Ku-ring-gai Public Domain Plan. We received over 50 submissions in relation to Lindfield’s extensive pedestrian, cycleway, parking, outdoor dining and traffic flow changes, and council staff have amended the proposed plans in response to this. Positive amendments include the removal of the proposed dedicated cycleway immediately in…
  • Mother’s Day Artwork
    by Sam
    Come visit the Lindfield shops and check out what our kids have drawn for Mother’s Day. The competition is organised each year by the Lindfield Chamber of Commerce.
  • Dine and Discover
    by Sam
    We had a rare night out without the kids at Mangiasti? in Roseville Chase. We sat at the bard and watched out food get cooked. The food and atmosphere was great. We used a Dine and Discover voucher as well. Definitely worth checking out.
  • Outcome of April 2021 Council Meeting
    by Sam
    In the picture below you can see three trucks bolting down southbound on Pacific Highway, turning right onto Ryde Road. It appeared that most councillors including myself agreed that this sort of thing had an undesirable impact to residents from a safety and acoustics perspective, though we did not share the same view on what…
  • Pacific Highway Trucks?
    by Sam
    It’s been a long day. 5am Dawn Service and 1am Truck Watching. Should vehicles over 12.5m be allowed on Pacific Highway? I’m still forming a vew but what’s clear to me right now is that the issue is far more complex than what people have made it out to be. If you have any thoughts…
  • Lest We Forget
    by Sam
    Today many of us gathered to remember over 100,000 Australians who died in armed conflict and the many others who returned, often with physical or mental scars that impacted their families. It is because of these sacrifices that we can live here today.